Where does the Congo River begin? The Congo River (Zaire) in Central Africa. History of discovery and research

Congo - a river in Central Africa, mainly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (partially flows along its borders with the Republic of the Congo and Angola), the deepest and second longest river in Africa, the second river in terms of water content in the world after the Amazon. IN upstream(above the city of Kisangani) is called Lualaba. the only major river crossing the equator twice. The basin area is 4,014,500 km². Length - 4374 km. It originates from the settlement of Mumen.

Geography

The length of the Congo from the source of Lualaba is 4374 km (from the source of Chambeshi - over 4700 km). The basin area is 4,014,500 km². The source of the Lualaba originates in the southeast of the DRC, on a plateau near the border with Zambia. According to other sources, the source of the Congo is the Chambeshi River, which is formed between the lakes Nyasa and Tanganyika at an altitude of 1590 meters above sea level. It flows into Lake Bangweulu, flows out of it under the name Luapula, flows into Lake Mweru, flowing out of it as the Luvua River and joins Lualaba. The upper course of the Congo (Lualaba), located within the plateaus and plateaus, is characterized by the alternation of rapids and leveled pools with a calm current. The steepest drop (475 m at a distance of about 70 km) Lualaba differs in the Nzilo Gorge, with which it cuts through the southern spurs of the Mitumba Mountains. Starting from the city of Bukama, the river slowly flows, strongly meandering, along the flat bottom of the Upemba graben. Below the city of Kongolo, Lualaba breaks through the crystalline rocks by the Porte d'Anfer (Hell's Gate) gorge, forming rapids and waterfalls; further downstream, several more groups of waterfalls and rapids follow one another. Between the cities of Kindu and Ubundu the river again flows calmly in a wide valley. Just below the equator, it descends from the marginal ledges of the plateau into the Congo depression, forming the Stanley Falls.
After the Stanley Falls near the city of Kisangani, the river changes its name to the Congo. In the middle course, enclosed within the Congo Basin, the river is calm with a slight drop (on average, about 0.07 m / km). Its channel, predominantly with low and flat, often marshy shores, is a chain of lake-like extensions (in some places up to 15 km), separated by relatively narrowed (up to 1.5-2 km) sections. In the central part of the Congo Basin, the floodplains of the river and its right tributaries the Ubangi and Sanga merge together, forming one of the world's largest periodically flooded areas. As you approach western edge in the depression, the appearance of the river changes: it is compressed here between high (100 m and more) and steep bedrock banks, narrowing in places to less than 1 km; depths increase (often up to 20 - 30 m), the current speeds up. This narrow section, the so-called Channel, passes into the lake-like extension of the Stanley Pool (about 30 km long, up to 25 km wide), which ends the middle reaches of the Congo.
In the lower reaches of the Congo, it breaks through to the ocean through the South Guinean Plateau in a deep (up to 500 m) gorge. The width of the channel here decreases to 400-500 meters, in some places up to 220-250 meters. For 350 km between the cities of Kinshasa and Matadi, the river descends 270 m, forming about 70 rapids and waterfalls, combined under common name Falls of Livingston. Depths in this section are 230 m or more, making the Congo the deepest river in the world. At Matadi, the Congo enters the coastal lowland, the channel expands to 1-2 km, the depths in the fairway reach 25-30 m. Near the city of Boma, the Congo estuary begins, the width of which reaches 19 km in the middle part, then decreases to 3.5 km and increases again towards the mouth, where it is 9.8 km. The top and middle part of the estuary are occupied by an actively developing young delta. The continuation of the estuary is the underwater canyon of the Congo with a total length of at least 800 km.

tributaries

The most significant tributaries of the Congo

• upper reaches: on the right - Lufira, Luvua, Lukuga
• in the middle reaches: on the left - Lomami, Lulongo, Ruki, Kasai (the largest of the left tributaries), on the right - Aruvimi, Itimbiri, Mongala, Ubangi (the largest major tributary Congo), Sanga
• in the lower reaches - Inkisi (left), Alima (right)

Several large lakes belong to the Congo system: Tanganyika and Kivu in the Lukuga River basin; Bangweulu and Mweru in the Luvua river basin; Mai Ndombe in the Kasai River Basin; Tumba (has a drain directly into the Congo through the Irebu channel).

Hydrology

In the formation of the flow of the rivers of the Congo Basin, abundant rainfall plays a predominant role. Most of the tributaries of the Congo are characterized by a predominance of autumn runoff: on tributaries with catchment areas in the Northern Hemisphere, the maximum rise in water is observed in September-November, in the Southern - in April-May. The April-May runoff maximum is also characteristic of the upper Congo (Lualaba). In the middle, and especially in the lower reaches of the Congo, seasonal fluctuations in runoff are largely smoothed out due to the different time of entry into the river of the hollow waters of its tributaries; from all the great rivers the globe The Congo is characterized by the greatest natural regulation. IN annual course level, however, two rises and two declines are clearly expressed. In the middle Congo, the rise in water, corresponding to the autumn maximum of the Lualaba runoff, is shifted to May-June and is of a secondary nature, while the main rise is in November-December under the influence of floods on the northern tributaries. In the lower reaches of the Congo, the main rise also occurs in November-December; a less significant rise in April-May is associated mainly with the autumn maximum flow of the Kasai River. Average water flow in the lower reaches of the Congo (near Boma): annual - 39 thousand m³ / s, in the month of the highest water (December) - 60 thousand m³ / s, in the month of the lowest water (July) - 29 thousand m³ / s; absolute marginal costs - from 23 to 75 thousand m³ / s. The average annual flow is 1230 km³ (according to other sources, 1453 km³). The huge masses of water carried by the Congo into the ocean desalinate it 75 km from the coast. The solid runoff of the Congo at the mouth area is about 50 million tons per year.

Hydropower resources

Compared to other rivers in the world, the Congo has one of the largest hydropower reserves, estimated at 390 GW. The latter is explained by the large amount of water carried by the river, and a significant drop in the channel along its entire length up to the mouth. Other large rivers in their lower reaches are flat and flow in lowlands. Several large hydroelectric power stations have been built in the Congo - Nzila, Nseke (on Lualaba), Inga (at Livingston waterfalls). In total, about 40 hydroelectric power stations have been built in the Congo basin.
The river's largest hydroelectric power plant is Inga, located about 200 km southwest of Kinshasa. The Inga project was launched in the early 1970s with the construction of the first dam. To date, only two dams, Inga I (Fr. Barrage Inga I) and Inga II (Fr. Barrage Inga II), have been built, on which fourteen turbines operate. The Inga III (Fr. Barrage Inga III) and Grand Inga (Fr. Barrage Grand Inga, English Grand Inga Dam) projects are at the design stage. If the Grand Inga project is implemented, its capacity will be more than double that of the Three Gorges HPP in China. There are fears that the construction of these new dams could lead to the extinction of many fish species that are endemic in the river.

Shipping

The total length of navigable routes along the rivers and lakes of the Congo basin is about 20 thousand km. Most of the sections of rivers available for navigation are concentrated in the Congo basin, where they form a single branched system. waterways, which, however, is separated from the ocean by Livingston Falls in the lower reaches of the Congo. The river itself has 4 main navigable sections: Bukama - Kongolo (645 km), Kindu - Ubundu (300 km), Kisangani - Kinshasa (1742 km), Matadi - mouth (138 km); the last section, the so-called sea pool, is accessible to ocean-going vessels. The navigable sections of the Congo are interconnected railways. The main river and lake ports in the Congo basin: in the Congo - Kinshasa, Brazzaville, Mbandaka, Kisangani, Ubundu, Kindu, Kongolo, Kabalo, Bukama; on the river Ubangi - Bangui; on the Kasai River - Ilebo; on Lake Tanganyika - Kalima, Kigoma, Bujumbura; on Lake Kivu - Bukavu. In the lower reaches of the Congo - seaports Matadi, Boma, Banana.

Fishing

The rivers and lakes of the Congo basin are rich in fish - about 1000 species, many of which are of commercial importance: Nile perch, tilapia, barbel, large tiger fish, freshwater herring and others.

Cities on the river

The most important cities in the Congo

• Bukama (beginning of navigation) - a city in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (province of Katanga), a river pier in the upper reaches of the Lualaba River, railroad station on the Lubumbashi - Ilebo line.
• Kongolo is a city in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Airport.
• Kindu is a city in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The administrative center of the province of Maniema. Lies on the western bank of the Congo River at an altitude of 500 m above sea level. Connected by rail with the south of the country, has an airport. In the city you can find features of Islamic and Swahili cultures.
• Kisangani (until 1966 - Stanleyville) - a city in the northeast of the Congo, administrative center Chopo province. In 2010, the population was 868,672. Port on the Congo River below Stanley Falls. The city has Train Station, university and international Airport. It was founded by the famous traveler, African explorer and (journalist Henry Stanley in 1883 and was originally called Stanleyville. Modern Kisangani is the center of an agricultural region where primary processing of agricultural raw materials (rice and cotton gins) is carried out. In addition, there are food, textile, chemical industry, woodworking, as well as the production of building materials.
• Kinshasa (until 1966 - Leopoldville) - capital (since 1960) Democratic Republic Congo, located on the Congo River, opposite the city of Brazzaville, the capital of the Republic of the Congo. Although the population of the city in 2009 was 10,076,099 people, 60% of its territory is sparsely populated countryside, which, nevertheless, entered the administrative boundaries of the city. Densely populated urban areas occupy only a small part of the territory in the west of the province.
• Matadi (in the language of the people of the Congo (Kikongo) - means "stone") - the main sea ​​port Democratic Republic of the Congo and the center of the province of Central Congo (formerly the province of Bas-Congo). Matadi was founded in 1879 by Henry Morton Stanley. The city is located on the left bank of the Congo River, 148 kilometers from the mouth. In 2004 the population was 245,862.
• Boma is a city in the west of the Democratic Republic of the Congo, in the estuary of the Congo River, located 75 km from the confluence of the Congo into Atlantic Ocean. Major port (available for sea ​​vessels; export of cocoa, bananas, rubber, valuable breeds wood). There is a food industry (brewing, fish), chemical, woodworking industry, shipbuilding, metal processing and agricultural products. The starting point of the railway to Chela. Airport. In 2010, the population was 167,326. From 1886 to 1926 it was the capital of the Belgian Congo (then the capital was moved to Leopoldville - now the city of Kinshasa).
• Banana (fr. Banana) - small town and a seaport in the province of Central Congo of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. The port is located on the northern bank of the mouth of the Congo River and is separated from the ocean by a 3-kilometer-long scythe and a width of 100 to 400 meters. To the north-west of the port is the city of Muanda, to which a road is laid along the coast.
• Brazzaville (fr. Brazzaville) - financial and administrative capital and the most populous city of the Republic of the Congo, located on the right bank of the Congo River, opposite Kinshasa. The population for 2010 is 1,252,974. Brazzaville is home to a third of the population of the Republic of the Congo and employs about 40% of non-agricultural workers.

History of discovery and research

In late 1481, King John II of Portugal sent a flotilla of caravels along the west coast of Africa to the Gold Coast (modern Ghana) to open mines for gold. The expedition was led by Diogo de Azambuja. The mine needed slaves, so in 1482 Azambuja sent Diogo Cana to explore the then unknown western coast of Africa. In the region of 6 ° south latitude, the Portuguese discovered the mouth big river and landed on the shore, where they were met by black people of the Bantu tribe. They said that the river is called Nzari - “Big”, and the state through whose territory it flows is ruled by a king bearing the title of mani-congo (English) Russian .. As a sign of the discovery of these lands, the Portuguese installed a padran (stone pillar) near the mouth, and the river was called the Padrau River (Rio do Padrão).
The upper course of the Congo (Lualaba) was discovered by David Livingston in 1871. Most of the course of the Congo from Nyangwe downstream was explored in 1876-1877 by Henry Stanley. The Kassai tributary was explored by Wissman in 1885.

Sights of the Congo River

The most famous waterfalls on the river are the seven-step Stanley (Boyoma) in the upper reaches of the Congo, the Inga in its middle reaches, as well as the cascade of Livingstone waterfalls in the lower reaches.

Information

• Length: 4374 km
• Pool: 4,014,500 km²
• Water consumption: 41,800 m³/s
• mouth: Atlantic Ocean

Source. wikipedia.org

Congo river is located in Central Africa, mainly in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Length 4320 km (from the source of the Lualaba River). By basin area (3.7 million km²) and water content ( average consumption water 46 thousand m³ / s) ranks first in Africa and second in the world after the Amazon. It flows into the Atlantic Ocean. Rapids, waterfalls (Boyoma, Livingston). Main tributaries: on the right - Aruvimi, Ubangi, Sanga. On the left - Lomami, Lulonga, Ruki, Kasai. It is navigable in most of the current, with the exception of rapids, bypassing which railways are built. The total length of navigable routes in the Congo basin is about 20,000 km. Major river ports are Kinshasa and Brazzaville.

Upper reaches of the Congo River.

The upper course of the Congo (Lualaba River), located within the plateaus and plateaus, is characterized by the alternation of rapids with a calm current. The steepest fall (475 m at a distance of about 70 km) Lualaba differs in the Nzilo Gorge, with which it cuts through the southern spurs of the Mitumba mountains. Starting from the city of Bukama, the river slowly flows along the flat bottom of the Upemba graben. Below the city of Kongolo, Lualaba breaks through the crystalline rocks by the gorge of Port d'Anfer (Hell's Gate), forming rapids and waterfalls. Further downstream, one after another, several more groups of waterfalls and rapids follow. Between the cities of Kindu and Ubundu the river again flows calmly in a wide valley. Just below the equator, it descends from the marginal ledges of the plateau into the Congo depression, forming the Stanley Falls.

Middle course of the Congo River.

In the middle course, enclosed within the Congo Basin, the river is calm. Its channel, predominantly with low and flat, often marshy shores, is a chain of lake-like extensions (in some places up to 15 km), separated by relatively narrowed (up to 1.5-2 km) sections. In the central part of the Congo Basin, the floodplains of the river and its right tributaries, the Ubangi and Sanga, merge into one, forming one of the world's largest periodically flooded areas. As you approach the western edge of the basin, the appearance of the river changes: it is compressed here between high (100 m and more) and steep bedrock banks, narrowing in places to less than 1 km, depths increase (often up to 20-30 m), the current speeds up. This narrowed section, the so-called channel, passes into the lake-like extension of the Stanley Pool (about 30 km long, up to 25 km wide), which ends the middle course of the Congo.

Lower reaches of the Congo River.

In the lower reaches of the Congo, it breaks through to the ocean through a plateau in a deep (up to 500 m) gorge. The width of the channel here decreases to 400-500 m, in some places up to 220-250 m. For 350 km, between the cities of Kinshasa and Matadi, the river descends to 270 m, forming about 70 rapids and waterfalls, united under the general name Livingston waterfalls. At Matadi, the Congo enters the coastal lowland, the channel expands to 1-2 km, the depths in the fairway reach 25-30 m. Near the city of Boma, the Congo estuary begins, the width of which reaches 19 km in the middle part, then decreases to 3.5 km and increases again towards the mouth, where it is 9.8 km. The top and middle part of the estuary are occupied by an actively developing young delta. The continuation of the estuary is the underwater canyon of the Congo with a total length of at least 800 km.

Congo river. Tributaries.

The most significant tributaries of the Congo in its upper reaches: on the right - Lufira, Luvua, Lukuga; on average: on the left - Lomami, Lulonga, Ruki, Kasai (the largest of the left tributaries), on the right - Aruvimi, Itim-biri, Ubangi (the largest tributary of the Congo), Sanga; in the lower reaches - Yankisi (left). Several large lakes belong to the Congo system: Tanganyika, Kivu, Bangweulu, Mweru, Tumba.

In the formation of the flow of the rivers of the Congo Basin leading role plays an abundant rain supply. Most of the tributaries of the Congo are characterized by a predominance of autumn runoff: on tributaries with spillways in the northern hemisphere, the maximum rise in water is observed in September - November, in the southern hemisphere in April - May. The April-May runoff maximum is also characteristic of the upper Congo (Lualaba). In the middle and especially in the lower reaches of the Congo, seasonal fluctuations in runoff are to a large extent smoothed out due to the different time of entry into the river of the waters of its tributaries. The Congo is characterized by the greatest natural regulation. Nevertheless, two rises and two declines are clearly expressed in the annual course of the level.

• In the middle Congo the rise in water corresponding to the autumn maximum of the Lualaba runoff is of a secondary nature, while the main rise is in November-December under the influence of floods on the northern tributaries.
• In the lower reaches of the Congo the main rise also occurs in November - December; a less significant rise in April-May is associated mainly with the autumn maximum flow of the Kasai River.

The large water content of the rivers of the Congo system and the significance of their fall determine the presence of colossal reserves of hydropower, in terms of which the Congo basin ranks first among river basins the globe. The potential capacity of the rivers of the Congo Basin at an average water discharge is estimated at 132 GW, the total potential capacity is 390 GW. The most significant hydroelectric power stations are Le Maripel and Delcomune on the Lualaba River.

Congo river. Shipping.

Most of the navigable sections of the rivers are concentrated in the Congo Basin, where they form a single branched system of waterways, which, however, is separated from the ocean by the Livingston Falls in the lower Congo. The river itself has 4 main navigable sections: Bukama-Kongolo (645 km), Kindu-Ubundu (300 km), Kisangani-Kinshasa (1742 km), Matadi mouth (138 km); the last section, the so-called sea pool, is accessible to ocean-going vessels. The navigable parts of the Congo are interconnected by railroads. The rivers and lakes of the Congo Basin are rich in fish (about 1000 species, many of which are of commercial importance).

The mouth of the Congo was discovered in 1482 (according to other sources - in 1484) by the Portuguese navigator D. Kahn. The upper course of the Congo (Lualaba) was discovered by D. Livingston in 1871.

The Congo River is the continent-crossing pulse of Africa. The deepest river in the world, home to countless species of living beings.

The Congo River is the deepest river on the planet, the length of the Congo is 4344-4700 km. The basin area is 3,680,000 km². The most full-flowing and the second longest river in Africa, the second river in terms of water content in the world after the Amazon. The only major river that crosses the equator twice.

In the middle reaches, the mountainous relief is replaced by a flat one and the river overflows, forming a wide valley with a large number of channels and lakes. The width of the valley in some places reaches 20 km.

The Congo is a natural border between the Democratic Republic of the Congo and Angola. The river has many honorary titles: the most deep river in the world, the depth of which in some places is about 230 meters; ranks second after the Amazon as the most deep river peace; the longest river in Africa after the Nile; the only major river that crosses the equator twice. This legendary river was discovered in the 15th century (in 1482) by the Portuguese traveler and navigator Diogo Can.

10. As we can see, the river has many different advantages, but its depth makes the river unique, let me remind you that the maximum depth of the Congo is 230 meters. The deepest river in the world, the Congo River.

Tributaries of the Congo: Aruvimi (right), Rubi (right), Mongalla (right), Mobangi (right), Saaga-Mambere (right), Likuala-Lekoli (right), Alima (right), Lefini (right), Lomami (left), Lulongo (left), Ikelemba (left), Ruki (left), Kassai (left), Lualaba (left)

The mouth of the Congo River was discovered in 1482 by the Portuguese navigator and merchant Diego Kan (1440-1486). This geographical discovery was not made by him for scientific purposes - the Portuguese established commercial relations with the Kingdom of the Congo, whose economy was based on the slave trade.
Terrible tropical diseases, severe climate, impenetrable swamps and forests, the hostility of the local population limited the curiosity of Europeans in the study of these territories until the last quarter of the 19th century. Until that time, Portuguese, British and French traders bought slaves, remaining in their trading posts on the Atlantic coast.
The first European who reached the upper reaches of the Congo, the Lualaba River, on March 29, 1871, was the Scot David Livingston. The deteriorating health of the famous explorer of Africa did not allow him to draw a conclusion about which river basin - the Congo or the Nile - Lualaba belongs to.
Livingston's compatriot, English journalist Henry Morton Stanley, had already passed most of the Congo River in 1876-1877. Having covered almost 5,000 km from east to west Africa on a dangerous journey, he came out at the mouth of the Congo.
Already under the patronage of the Belgian King Leopold II and at his expense, Stanley in a new expedition in 1881 founded a number of stations on the banks of the river.
Full flow throughout the year is a feature of the Congo River.

Istok and basin

The Congo Basin, located in the very center of the African continent, occupies the second largest area in the world. The source of the Congo is most often considered the Lualaba River, which originates near the southeastern border of the Democratic Republic of the Congo. But there is an opinion that the source of the Congo is the Chambezi River, which begins near the southern tip of the lake.
A feature of the Congo River is the uniform flow of water throughout the year. This is due to the fact that the Congo basin is located on both sides of the equator, and therefore the flow of water from the rivers of the Northern Hemisphere, filled with intense summer rains, makes up for the winter shallowing of the southern tributaries of the river.
The Congo Basin covers the so-called Congo Basin and its marginal plateaus. The river is usually divided into three main sections. From the headwaters to Stanley Falls is the upper section. From the Stanley Falls to the city of Kinshasa, the middle one and then the lower one.
After passing the city of Kongolo, the river crosses a barrier of solid crystalline rocks and makes its way through the gorge, which is rightly called the Hell's Gate. Rapids and waterfalls stretch up to the city of Kindu. From here, tropical forests begin, which surround the river for 2000 km.
Outside the city of Kinshasa, the Livingston waterfalls begin, the height of which is about 40 m. At the confluence with the Atlantic Ocean, the Congo expands to 11 km and reaches a depth of up to 230 m.

general information

The river in Central Africa is the second largest in the world in terms of fullness - it flows into the Atlantic Ocean.
Official name: the Congo river.
Languages ​​spoken in the river basin: French, Portuguese English, Bantu (Congo), Lingala, Sango, Swahili, Rwanda, Rundi.
Religion: Half of the population of the Congo Basin is Christian, 48% aboriginal cultures, 2% Islam.
Largest cities:, 10 076 099 people (2009), Matadi, Mbandaka (Democratic Republic of the Congo), Brazzaville (Republic of the Congo), Bangui (Central African Republic), Bujumbura (Burundi).
Main ports on the Congo River: Brazzaville (Republic of the Congo), Kinshasa, Matadi (seaport), Mbandaka, Kisangani, Ubundu, Kindu, Congolo (Democratic Republic of the Congo); on the river Ubangi - Bangui (CAR); on the Kasai River - Ilebo (DRC).
Countries in the river basin: Democratic Republic of the Congo (60% of the basin area); Republic of the Congo; Central African Republic, Angola, Cameroon, Rwanda, Burundi, Tanzania and Zambia.
Main tributaries: Luvua, Lukuga, Lomami, Ruki, Kasai, Aruvimi, Ubangi, Sanga.
Large lakes of the river basin: Tanganyika, Kivu, Bangweulu, Mai-Ndombe, Tumba.

Numbers

Pool area: 3,680,000 km2.
Population: more than 100 million people
Population density: 27 people/km2.
Ethnic composition: over 200 nations.
River length: 4344 km - from the source of Lualaba, 4700 km - from the source of Chambezi.
The most high point: Peak Margerita (5109 m).
Channel width: at the confluence with the Atlantic Ocean - 11 km; freshens the ocean 75 km from the coast.
Average annual flow: 1230-1453 km 3; solid runoff - about 50,000 million tons per year.

Economy

Hydroelectric power plants, shipping, fishing, oil extraction. The total length of navigable routes along the rivers and lakes of the Congo Basin is about 20,000 km. 4 main navigable sections: Bukama - Kongolo (645 km), Kindu - Ubundu (300 km), Kisangani - Kinshasa (1742 km), Matadi - mouth (138 km). Proved oil reserves are estimated at 1.5 billion barrels. About 400 wells are in operation. Oil - 90% of export earnings in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. GDP in the DRC per capita in 2009 - about 300 US dollars. According to ecologists, every year as a result of development Agriculture, construction and mining destroys about 1.8 million hectares of African rainforest.

Climate and weather

Equatorial and subequatorial.
Average annual temperature: +22...+26ºС.
Precipitation: 2000-3000 mm per year.

Attractions

■ Stanley Falls;
■ Livingston Falls;
■ Lakes;
■ National parks Virunga, Salonga, Garamba and others;
■ National Museum in Kinshasa.

Curious facts

■ national symbol Democratic Republic of the Congo is living in tropical forests a rare animal, the okapi, is a relative of the giraffe, but lacks such a long neck.
■ The Congo is the only major river that crosses the equator twice.
■ In the upper reaches of the Congo, 7 waterfalls form the Stanley Falls, named after Henry Morton Stanley (1841-1904), an African explorer. In the lower reaches, 32 waterfalls are named after David Livingston (1813-1873), Stanley's colleague.
■ Moist equatorial forests in the Congo Basin allow native trees such as ebony, mahogany, oaks to reach heights of 60 m.
■ In January 2007, at the African Union summit, it was decided to establish the Fund environment Africa. The UK government has committed about $100 million to the conservation of tropical forests in the Congo Basin. In total, the program, designed until 2013, requires about $2 billion.
■ The famous explorer Henry Morton Stanley, who first described the Congo River and established shipping on it, had no sympathy for the locals and justified the brutal colonial policy.

Congo is a river flowing in the heart of Africa. Her appearance is wild and mysterious, and her story is shrouded in mystery. It feels all the fantastic power of nature. Even a dry description of the Congo River allows you to feel its power. It is 4667 km long and carries 42450 cubic meters into the ocean. water per second, second only to the Amazon. The source of the Congo River is located in the savannas of Zambia, at a height of one and a half kilometers near the settlement of Mumena. In its upper course it flows rapidly through narrow (30-50m) gorges and forms rapids and waterfalls. The Congo (river) got its name from the name of the state that once existed at its mouth.

Long way flow

After a long winding through the territory of Zambia, the Congo (river) appears on the territory of the Democratic Party. There it merges with the Lualaba River and, under this name, after 800 km reaches moist forests Further, the stream flows directly to the north and, having traveled a distance of about 1600 km, crosses the equator for the first time. After that, it turns to the west, describes a giant arc on the territory of the Democratic Republic of the Congo and turns again, now to the south. It crosses the equator again, but flows in the opposite direction.

African jungle legends

Here the Congo flows through moist forests, which represent the most impenetrable jungle in the world. Trees rise to a height of 60 m, and eternal dusk reigns at their roots. Under this swaying green canopy in a suffocatingly humid heat, in dense thickets, where a person cannot break through, there is a real hell inhabited by the most dangerous animals - crocodiles, and boas, and ants. Any person runs the risk of catching malaria, schistosomiasis or some other, more formidable disease here. Local residents have stories that it is in these suffocating swamps that the mokele-mbembe dragon lives. Back in the early 20th century, Europeans noticed that there were no hippos in one of the swampy areas. locals reported that there is which, being smaller than the hippo, however, attacks and kills them. Others, on the contrary, said that he looked like an elephant, only with long neck and muscular tail. If boats sailed close to him, he attacked them. But this animal ate plants. I must say that strange traces of an unusual animal are found here to this day.

Waterfalls and rapids

In the northeastern part of the arc are the Boyoma Falls. This is a series of waterfalls and rapids, along which, over 100 km, the river descends to a height of 457 m. From this place, already under the name of Congo, the river is navigable and very wide (over 20 km wide) for 1609 km. Behind the section separating the two capitals - Brazzaville and Kinshasa, are the Livingston Falls, formed by the South Guinean Uplands. This is 354 km, on which there are 32 waterfalls and a series of rapids. From the city of Matadi, the stream runs another 160 km and flows into the Atlantic Ocean. But a huge stream does not immediately slow down its run. On the ocean floor, it forms an underwater channel of the Congo, 800 km long. Its water in this segment is easily distinguished from the ocean by its red-brown tint, which is given by the red soil carried away from the depths of Africa.